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Pituicytoma incidentally found at autopsy
Hidehiro Takei1, J Clay Goodman, Shinya Tanaka
1Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
Pathology International
|November 8, 2005
Summary
This case report details an asymptomatic pituicytoma, a rare pituitary tumor, discovered incidentally during an autopsy. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis provided unique insights into this benign neoplasm.
Area of Science:
- Neuropathology
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
Background:
- Pituicytoma is a rare, benign neoplasm originating in the sellar and suprasellar regions.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial for differentiating pituicytoma from other intrasellar tumors.
Observation:
- A case of asymptomatic pituicytoma was discovered incidentally at autopsy in a 54-year-old Japanese woman.
- Whole-mounted sections revealed a well-circumscribed nodule primarily in the neurohypophysis, compressing the adenohypophysis.
- Histological examination showed neoplastic cells with syncytial fibrillary cytoplasm, unusual pleomorphic cells, and scattered Herring bodies.
Findings:
- Immunohistochemistry demonstrated diffuse strong expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein, S-100 protein, and vimentin.
- Focal epithelial membrane antigen immunoreactivity was noted, particularly in larger tumor cells.
- The tumor exhibited distinct histological features, aiding in its differentiation from granular cell tumors and pilocytic astrocytoma.
Implications:
- This report provides valuable histological and immunohistochemical data on an incidentally discovered pituicytoma.
- Understanding these features is critical for accurate diagnosis and distinguishing pituicytoma from other sellar region tumors.
- The study highlights the importance of histological examination when immunohistochemical profiles are similar across different tumor types.